We had the privilege of participating in a New Year’s reboot with the very talented raw food chef, culinary author & wellness guide Sunita Vira. She served patés created not from meat but nuts & seeds! We tried Chef Sunita’s recipe in our kitchen using Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil & soaked walnuts. Prepare ahead, this easy to make, healthy spread goes with butter or Romain lettuce, fresh raw veggies, sprouted or stone wheat crackers. A delicious, crowd pleasing appetizer, it makes 1 cup, but you’ll want more after tasting, so double up on the ingredients! 

From RAW for LIFE, a Modern Guide to Raw, Plant-based, Gluten-free Recipes for Busy Lives. www.rawfoodcentre.com

Simple Ingredients

• 1 cup, soaked walnuts for 1-hour, rinsed & drained 
• 1 tablespoon Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra to flavor
• 1 tablespoon tamari-a Japanese soy sauce made of soy & wheat, available at grocery stores 
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon fresh minced parsley or fresh herb of choice   
• 1 pinch of Himalayan salt

Easy Directions

1. Combine all ingredients except olive oil, onion & herbs in a food processor with the S-blade  
2. Process making sure to scrape sides of processor with a rubber spatula
3. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add olive oil, onion & parsley
4. Mix thoroughly
5. Serve on lettuce cups, crackers or crusty French bread
6. Enjoy with Villa Graziella Rosso Toscano IGT made from organic grapes
7. Transfer remaining paté to a sealed glass jar for 5 days in the refrigerator, 3 months in the freezer.   

Since Spring hasn't quite sprung everywhere yet, we are celebrating the end of National Noodle Month with this healthy homemade chicken noodle soup. Make a big batch and have it for the rest of the week, or stick it in the freezer for when you are fighting a cold!

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• ½ cup sliced celery
• ½ cup diced onion
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 3 cups egg noodles
• ½ teaspoon dry basil
• ½ teaspoon dry oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Add olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the chicken broth, shredded chicken, noodles, basil, oregano, salt, garlic powder, and pepper and stir to combine.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes before serving.

Tried, Tasted & True!

At Villa Gabriella Organic our team tries & tastes every recipe we feature.  While we love to share our family recipes & those of talented home cooks & chefs, sometimes we adapt them so they are even easier to make. As with our products, our goal is for you to have a healthy & delicious experience using Villa Gabriella recipes. So try them out in your kitchen, feel free to tweak them & please tell us what you think. We welcome your comments & feedback!

Grazie da Team VILLA GABRIELLA

clientservice@villagabriellallc.com

Did you know the tomato is a fruit native to Mexico & Central America? European explorers brought back the versatile food in the 16th century, it was widely adopted in Italy & Spain. Our version of Jon Ashton’s 3-tomato soup uses plenty of fresh, vitamin c packed, diced, sun-dried tomatoes & sauce. Less cream and more Villa Gabriella organic extra virgin olive oil & 8-year aged balsamic vinegar for a delicious meatless Monday. Enjoy with a grilled cheese sandwich & take the remainder for lunch the next day!  Makes 6-8 servings.

Easy Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Villa Gabriella Organic extra virgin olive oil + extra 2 tablespoons for drizzling
• 2 tablespoons Villa Gabriella Organic balsamic vinegar di Modena + 1 extra tablespoon for drizzling
• 3 cups organic chicken or vegetable broth
• ½ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 5.25 cups fresh, organic cherry tomatoes quartered or 3 (14-oz) cans organic diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 8-oz can organic tomato sauce without meat or added ingredients
• ½ cup half & half or whipping cream
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 large celery stalk, chopped
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Simple Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat
2. Add onion & celery; sauté 5-7 minutes or when onion is transparent, celery is tender
3. Add broth, sun-dried tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce & thyme 
4. Simmer over low heat, uncovered 20-45 minutes minutes
5. Discard the thyme sprigs
6. Transfer soup to a blender, or use an immersion blender in pan, puree until smooth
7. Return soup to saucepan, stir in half-and-half, balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper
8. Cook 15 minutes over low heat uncovered
9. Garnish with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar & olive oil
10. Serve & enjoy with Villa Graziella artisan crafted Rosso Toscano made with organic grapes.

Freeze the remainder in an airtight glass container or jar up to 1 month.

Tried, Tasted & True!

At Villa Gabriella Organic our team tries & tastes every recipe we feature.  While we love to share our family recipes & those of talented home cooks & chefs, sometimes we adapt them so they are even easier to make. As with our products, our goal is for you to have a healthy & delicious experience using Villa Gabriella recipes. So try them out in your kitchen, feel free to tweak them & please tell us what you think. We welcome your comments & feedback!

Grazie da Team VILLA GABRIELLA

clientservice@villagabriellallc.com

We gathered Asiago, Gorgonzola, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano & even Gouda cheese ends & rinds to make a tasty spread. Modifying a recipe from a great resource we previously shared; SaveTheFood.Com, we used Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a touch of our 8-year aged organic balsamic vinegar & Villa Graziella Bianco Toscano white wine made with organic grapes. Prepare ahead, so flavors fully blend & enjoy as a cozy winter appetizer or snack. Makes 2 cups.  

Simple Ingredients

1 lb assorted cheese rinds and ends, cut in ½ -1-inch chunks or pieces

3/4 cup Villa Graziella Bianco Toscano IGT white wine

2 Tablespoons Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra to flavor

½ Tablespoon unsalted butter

1 Teaspoon Villa Gabriella 8 year aged Balsamic Vinegar Di Modena

1 small shallot clove

½ teaspoon dried thyme

Easy Directions

1. Set up a food processor with the chopping blade.

2. Peel shallot clove & mince in the processor
3. Add cheese to processor, grate
4. Add olive oil & butter to processor, blend
5. Add vinegar, wine & thyme to the processor, blend until smooth
6. Season to taste with salt & pepper
7. Remove ingredients & place in an airtight bowl or covered ramekin
8. Refrigerate overnight & up to 1 week
9. Top on baguette slices & heat in the broiler or on crackers
10. Serve & enjoy with Villa Graziella artisan crafted Bianco Trebbiano IGT wine made with organic grapes

Tried, Tasted & True!

At Villa Gabriella Organic our team tries & tastes every recipe we feature.  While we love to share our family recipes & those of talented home cooks & chefs, sometimes we adapt them so they are even easier to make. As with our products, our goal is for you to have a healthy & delicious experience using Villa Gabriella recipes. So try them out in your kitchen, feel free to tweak them & please tell us what you think. We welcome your comments & feedback!

Grazie da Team VILLA GABRIELLA

clientservice@villagabriellallc.com

Did you know that Saturday is National Mulled Wine Day? Mulled wine is so easy to make and perfect for these chilly nights! All you need is a bottle of red wine (we used Villa Graziella Chianti), some spices, and your favorite liquor! And, what better way to cozy up on the couch this weekend to watch the Oscars than with some mulled wine?! With less than 5 minutes of prep, this can be made on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. Just make sure not to boil it so you don't boil off the alcohol! Just simmer for 15 minutes, or up to three hours, strain the spices, and serve warm. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (750 ml) bottle of Villa Graziella Organic Chianti wine
• 1 orange, sliced into rounds
• 8 whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise
• 2-4 tablespoons sugar, honey, or maple syrup to taste (or your desired sweetener)
• optional add-in: 1/4 cup brandy (or your favorite liqueur)
• optional garnishes: citrus slices (orange, lemon and/or lime), extra cinnamon sticks, extra star anise

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, and heat just barely to a simmer over medium-high heat.  (Be careful not to boil the mulled wine — you don’t want to boil off the alcohol.) Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let the wine simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours.
2. Strain, and serve warm with your desired garnishes.

Finding different ways to cook veggies can become redundant, we adapted a recipe for a sumptuous red wine reduction for roasted vegetables. Using Villa Graziella Rosso Toscano IGT red wine made with organic grapes & Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Cooked, vegetables give a natural sweet & tangy flavor to the fruit forward wine reduction. Vitamin rich, it makes a delicious side dish to rotisserie chicken or pork roast. Or enjoy with toasted baguette bread for a satisfying, meatless Monday main course. 4-6 abundant servings.  

Easy Ingredients 

• 5 tablespoons Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

• 1 red onion, peeled & quartered 

• 2 red or yellow peppers, cleaned, seeded, cut in eighths 

• 6 cloves garlic minced 

• 3 small  zucchinis, cleaned, cut into 1-inch pieces 

• 3  summer squash, cleaned, cut into 1-inch pieces 

• 8 petite Yukon Gold or small red potatoes, quartered  

• 4 small shallots, peeled & halved lengthwise 

• 8 plum, vine or Roma tomatoes, quartered lengthwise 

• 1 rosemary sprig 

• sea salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste 

Simple Directions 

-Adjust oven racks highest to lowest   

-Preheat oven to 425°F 

-Place vegetables in a large bowl 

-Drizzle vegetables with olive oil, add rosemary, salt & pepper to your taste & mix  
-Evenly spread vegetables onto 2 parchment paper lined baking sheets; do not crowd 

-Roast 10-15 minutes, toss vegetables, rotate pans from low to high rack, front to back of oven  

-Roast additional 10-12 minutes until vegetables are tender & begin to caramelize  

-Remove from oven, discard rosemary, set aside & keep warm

Red Wine Reduction

Easy Ingredients 

• 1 tablespoon Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

• 3 Tbsp cubed  unsalted butter, divided 

• 1  shallot finely minced 

• 1 cup  Villa Graziella Rosso Toscano IGT red wine, Syrah or Zinfandel wine 

• 1 cup  vegetable stock 

While vegetables are roasting, prepare wine reduction 

-Heat a saucepan over medium heat, add 1 teaspoon olive oil   

-Add shallots & sauté until translucent  

-Add wine, simmer 3-5 minutes, add vegetable stock to the mixture, bring to a boil  

-Reduce heat to low, simmer until liquid reduces by half  

-When liquid becomes syrupy, add 3 tablespoons butter, 1 cube at a time, while whisking 

-Place roasted vegetables in a bowl or plate, drizzle with wine reduction sauce, toss to coat  

-Adjust seasoning to taste, serve & enjoy

Try this recipe & share your comments with us. We want you to have a healthy & delicious experience with our products! Grazie!  clientservice@villagabriellaorganic.com 

Did you know that tomorrow is National Drink Wine Day?  Even if is winter, why not celebrate with  sangria! We improvised with on hand ingredients to make a winter sangria. Using artisan crafted Villa Graziella Toscano Rosato rosé wine with berry rich Sangiovese & fragrant Montepulciano organic grapes. Fresh oranges, chilled pineapple juice & mango nectar. Perfect for Sunday brunch or a pre-dinner libation. Makes 6 abundant servings. 

Easy Ingredients

• 1 750 ML (25.36 Oz) bottle of Villa Graziella IGT Rosso Toscano

• 2 freshly squeezed oranges + 1 orange thinly seeded & thinly sliced

• 4 – 6-ounce cans pineapple juice not from concentrate

• 2-11-ounce cans of guava or mango nectar

Simple Directions

1. Wash oranges, juice 2 oranges removing the seeds, set aside

2. Wash remaining orange slice thin, removing the seeds, set aside

3. In a large pitcher stir together Toscano Rosato rosé wine & orange juice

4. Add pineapple juice & mango nectar

5. Stir briskly

6. Refrigerate two hours to overnight, allowing sangria to absorb the fruit flavors & citrus aromas

7. Serve in frosted glasses over ice (optional)

8. Or add individual orange slices to each glass

9. Enjoy with your favorite brunch items or evening appetizers

10. Refrigerate covered for 2 days

The meat & cheese filled life preserver shaped pasta, Tortellini dates to the early 1660’s region of Emilia Romagna in north central Italy. Legend suggests an infatuated inn keeper spied upon the sleeping Goddess of Love Venere (Venus) through the key hole of the door to her room. So taken with her shapely form, he filled pasta dough he was making with cheese, twisting it around his ring finger to resemble the form of her navel. Feb. 13th is National Tortellini day, we’ll celebrate with a recipe we tweaked using Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, fresh cherry tomatoes & kale with boneless chicken breast for a nutritious, flavor packed, week-night winter dinner. Makes 4 abundant main course servings.

Simple Ingredients

• 1-pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olio Nuovo olive oil, plus extra to flavor
• 20 ounces of fresh or refrigerated tortellini
• 2 cups fresh (or frozen) kale or spinach, washed, dried, cut into pieces, discard the stems
• 3 cups organic chicken broth
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Sea salt & cracked pepper

Easy Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat

2. Add chicken to the pan, season with salt & pepper, cook until browned 5-8 minutes

3. Remove the chicken from the pan; cover to keep warm & set aside

4. Add butter to the pan, melt until foaming, whisk flour, cook for 1 minute

5. Stir in chicken broth, simmer 2-4 minutes or until slightly thickened

6. Add tortellini pasta to the pan, bring to a boil cooking 4 minutes, stirring occasionally

     ensuring tortellini is coated with liquid

7. Stir in cream & parmesan cheese, simmer over medium heat 1-3 minutes

8. Return the chicken back to the pan with kale, cook 2-3 minutes, or until kale is wilted

9. Fold in tomatoes to the tortellini mixture

10. Sprinkle parsley over the top, serve & enjoy!

Tip: Let tortellini stand covered for 2-4 minutes allowing sauce to thicken & flavors to fully blend.

Tried, Tasted & True!

At Villa Gabriella Organic our team tries & tastes every recipe we feature.  While we love to share our family recipes & those of talented home cooks & chefs, sometimes we adapt them so they are even easier to make. As with our products, our goal is for you to have a healthy & delicious experience using Villa Gabriella recipes. So try them out in your kitchen, feel free to tweak them & please tell us what you think. We welcome your comments & feedback!

Grazie da Team VILLA GABRIELLA

clientservice@villagabriellallc.com

Under rated yet delicious, fennel a crunchy, slightly sweet, fiber rich, vitamin packed vegetable is a winter staple in Mediterranean countries. Entirely edible, the white bulb can be thinly sliced in salads, the stalks & leaves eaten raw or used for homemade vegetable stock, the fronds (wispy green tips), used as a fresh herb. Using Villa Gabriella Organic 8-year aged Balsamic Vinegar di Modena & Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, we adapted a recipe from inspired taste. Naturally sweet, tangy vinegar flavors make it a perfect side dish to roasted winter meats or grilled chops. 6 Servings. 

Easy Ingredients

• 2 medium fennel bulbs
• 2 teaspoons Villa Gabriella Organic Balsamic Vinegar
• 3 tablespoons Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ½ fresh orange juiced
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 cup organic chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 teaspoons organic sugar
• Sea salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Simple Direction

1. Cut off the fennel bulb, reserve some of the fronds, save stems & stalks for veggie stock.

2. Slice fennel in half, lengthwise, remove tough core by making two angled cuts, cut halves into 1/2-inch thick wedges. 

3. Season both sides with sea salt & pepper.

4. Heat 2 quarts of cold water to a boil in a saucepan, add fennel wedges.

5. Cook 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender, drain. 

6. Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. 

7. Add fennel wedges & sugar, brown for 2-3 minutes on each side.

8. Reduce heat to low, add stock, orange juice & zest, simmer for 25 minutes or until liquid is almost evaporated. 

9. Sprinkle with reserved fennel fronds on top.

10. Serve & enjoy

Who says Super Bowl snacks can't be healthy? These crunchy roasted chickpeas are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free. This recipe allows you to get creative with different spice combinations too. Make them spicy with cayenne pepper, or sweet with honey and cinnamon. Save the leftovers to put them on top of a salad or soup. They are sure to be a hit at your Super Bowl party this weekend.

Ingredients

• 1 15 oz can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) 
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp ground corriander
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• ½ to 1 TBS Villa Gabriella Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Set aside.

3. Rinse and thoroughly dry the chickpeas.

4. In a small bowl, mix together cumin, paprika, garlic powder, sea salt, onion powder and pepper. Set aside.

5. Bake dried chickpeas in the preheated oven on prepared baking sheet for 15 minutes (without any of the other ingredients)

6. Remove the chickpeas from the oven and drizzle ½ TBS olive oil over the chickpeas, stirring until evenly coated. If necessary, slowly add more olive oil until all the chickpeas are lightly coated with olive oil.

7. Add spices to chickpeas and stir until evenly coated.

8. Bake at 400 for 10 more minutes, then stir.

9. Return stirred chickpeas to the oven and bake them for an additional 5-10 minutes, until desired crispiness is achieved (a total of 35-40 minutes of baking).

10. Turn off oven and crack the door a bit. Let chickpeas cool in the oven to achieve maximum crispiness

Tried, Tasted & True!

At Villa Gabriella Organic our team tries & tastes every recipe we feature.  While we love to share our family recipes & those of talented home cooks & chefs, sometimes we adapt them so they are even easier to make. As with our products, our goal is for you to have a healthy & delicious experience using Villa Gabriella recipes. So try them out in your kitchen, feel free to tweak them & please tell us what you think. We welcome your comments & feedback!

Grazie da Team VILLA GABRIELLA

clientservice@villagabriellallc.com